Ship and boat building materials traditionally include one or more of wood, steel, fiberglass, various composites and aluminum materials. While each of these materials has advantages and disadvantages, the choice of ship and boat building materials may rely on the particular use and application of the vessel. The choice of these materials has advantages and drawbacks. For example, wood requires high maintenance while steel boats may be heavy and expensive. Many modern boats are therefore made of fiberglass reinforced plastic. An advantage of fiberglass is that the material is inexpensive and easily formed. However, such composites also have drawbacks such as being highly flammable, a tendency to absorb water and delaminate, as well as being more easily deformed than other building materials.
In light of the disadvantages of other building materials, marine grade aluminum is often the choice material due to superior resistance to leaks, water absorption, delamination, and deformation. Further, the ease of workability, welding and handling make aluminum hulled ships and boats an economical choice.